


Returns

by sunsetmondays



Category: MindCrack RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 09:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2019126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetmondays/pseuds/sunsetmondays
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nebris returns from his four month hiatus with the intentions of making things right between him and Etho.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Returns

Four long months. It had been four long months and every single day had eaten at his insides until his stomach ached and his heart burned. Too many mornings he had awoken with a bitter taste in his mouth and too many nights had been interrupted with dreams, no, nightmares of the day before he left and that one scene replaying in his head. His heart would race and his flesh would burn, sweat tickling the back of his neck and the low thud of his pulse echoing in his ears. Everything would taste of regret, anger, and maybe a little fear that not even the strongest of drinks could wash away in the ungodly hours of the morning.

He'd thought things through over and over again in his head, every time pulling up blank. He was frustrated and confused. It was taking over his life and everything else seemed jaded in comparison. Every sight, every sound, every sensation was littered with memories of everything they had shared together, and although he didn't know it back then, he knew he couldn't live without him no matter how much he tried to deny. It had taken him a while to accept this. For far too long had he refused to believe the truth and realise his own wrongs. But he was past that now. Nebris was ready to return home and if so be it, beg Etho to take him back.

After such a long absence with little more than a mumbled half-excuse to their unanimously voted leader Guude, his return was greeted with nothing more than a dumbfounded "Whoa!", most beyond speechless at the jokingly dubbed cheater's return. It was quite a jolt to walk into Spawn Town, now almost completely unrecognizable since he had last walked the then grassy fields and loosely marked dirt paths. But Nebris knew the change wasn't to be unexpected because just as he had, everything changes and not always for the worst. It was nice, he decided as he finally made his way to the nether portal, saving his sightseeing for a time when he had something less important on his mind.

The dry, unmistakable heat hit him like a brick wall when he materialised on the other side of the swirling violet portal. He coughed, gasping in the thick air as sweat began to form on his brow, no longer adjusted to the harsh nether climate. Pulling himself upright, Nebris adjusted his breathing and finally looked around the expansive rooms of the Nether Hub, admiring the grandiose and elegant air formed by the massive domes on the ceiling and the brilliant quartz that artistically lined almost every surface. When he finally found Etho's nether rail, he couldn't help but chuckle at the red stained clay lining the dome unmistakably matching the deep red of his redstone-enhanced eye.

The walk was surprisingly short and the view was breathtaking - a pristine valley enclosed by tall majestic mountains stretching high towards the midday sun and protecting the land from the harsh environment beyond. And there, nestled quietly under the sun was a quaint little wood cabin, obviously temporary in nature. It was visually pleasing but efficient - so very Etho in design and every bit as sweet as the man himself. A soft laugh emanated from the cabin, warm, honest, and honeyed. Fond memories surfaced as Nebris surrounded himself in the familiar sound that he had missed all too much, finding himself smiling as he approached the door.

His hand was held posed as he heard another sound drift through the air - the low sound of an unfamiliar voice talking softly inside the wooden walls. But still, only slightly unfazed, he rapped his knuckles against the hard wood and stood back until a soft click sounded following by an airy squeak as the door was pulled open. "Hello?" a stranger asked, peering out at Nebris with a curious gaze and an annoyed but warm smile.

Nebris froze, breath caught in his throat as he eyed the man before him with a small frown, blinking slowly as he looked him up and down. Every sign cut through the optimistic resolve he had built himself up to, stinging more than a diamond sword through the heart, but still he listed and counted them all, desperately wishing it was something else. Hair mused, cheeks flushed, breath short and erratic. Shirt missing, only one button of the pants done up, as if he had done so in a hurry, and worst of all, the unmistakable red marks slowly morphing into purple bruises that traced the line from his jaw to his collarbone in perfect precision.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak, he wanted to scream. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, desperately trying to stop the shaking in his hands. He counted, slowly and carefully down from ten in his mind, his eyes unmoving from the person before him that he knew that if he didn't get out of here soon, he was going to attempt to kill. He could already feel it now, his hands wrapping tightly around his throat with sharp satisfaction until the mans face was as purple as the nether portal he had just emerged from. He wanted him dead and he wanted him dead now. Only his own all consuming anger grounded his feet as his mind tried to process the sight before him.

"I'm Seth. Is there anything I can help you with or are you just gonna stand there staring at me?" Even his cool, almost mocking voice grated against Nebris' every nerve and he knew with every fibre of his being that he absolutely hated this man for what he had done and he never wanted to see him alive again.

He knew the words were all too fast and all too shaky as he almost spat them at the man with every ounce of venom he could muster and he was barely sure he even heard what he said, but he spoke them anyway, his eyes sharpening into a glare. "I just came by so see if Etho was in, but I can see now that this is obviously a bad time. I'll just come back later." He turned away and as soon as he heard the soft click of the door closing shut, he ran, hoping that if he was fast enough that maybe even he would notice the tears streaming down his face.

~ ~ ~

 _Whoosh. Crack. Thump. Whoosh. Crack. Thump._ "I." _Whoosh._ "Fucking." _Crack._ "Hate." _Thump._ "Your." _Whoosh._ "Stupid." _Crack._ "Face." _Thump._ Each word was punctuated by a fist sized rock being thrown through the air before shattering against the stone wall and landing on the grass below. Nebris' fingers were grazed from sharper rocks and his arm ached from the constant pelting, but the anger and frustration bubbled inside him and he had to let it out before he did something stupid.

He laughed at the thought, low and sardonic; he'd already done something stupid four long months ago, and after the events of the previous day, he didn't know who he blamed more. It was stupid and trivial like always - a single fight seemingly meaningless in a past of many others. They'd done this many times before and he had had no reason to believe that like every other time, things would work out. Words were spat and swords were drawn, soon shed for fists and nails as all decency was thrown to the floor. But unlike the other times, things didn't settle down as one claimed victory. Instead the fire only burned brighter, spiralling out of control.

Nebris couldn't remember who said it first. He didn't even remember if the one who said it actually meant it when they threatened not to come back because sure, they'd both made this threat many times before. It was all a painful blur and Nebris was almost certain nothing was made official, but before he knew it he was gone, storming to his base to gather a ration of supplies before heading off to a far off place with no explanation. It had taken him all that time to work up the nerve to admit his wrongs and come back and apologise, but all for nil. It was obvious he wasn't the only one to think things through in his absence, and it was nothing short of swallowing a glass of acid to know that Etho hadn't come to the same conclusion.

If realising Etho didn't want him back was a glass of acid, then knowing that he had dumped him for none other than a complete stranger brand new to their small community was being slowly dipped into a bath of liquid fire. He wanted that stranger to burn - to ache on the inside like there's no other world besides the pain. Nebris wanted to watch as he slid his sword through the stranger's flesh, feel the warm blood bubbling from his throat as he desperately tried to choke out an apology and beg for forgiveness before he suffocated in the pooling warmth of his own livelihood. He could almost taste the fear when he would pin that stranger down and make him suffer - make him pay. He had no right to waltz in like he owned the place and take from Nebris the one thing he couldn't stand to lose.

A hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped, turning with a growl and almost bringing his fist straight to the man's face as he was pulled from his imaginings, stopping short only when he realised who it was.

"Seth told me someone he didn't know turned up yesterday and I could only assume it was you," said Etho. Nebris changed his mind, tensing his muscles and moving in for the hit.

~ ~ ~


End file.
